And I appreciate how you raised me
by moogsthewriter
Summary: April smiles. "Mikey... do you want to make a Mother's Day card for Leo?" (AKA Unapologetic Hamato family fluff.)


_A/N: So there was a post on Tumblr about Mikey giving Leo Mother's Day cards, and I just... couldn't resist. So have some hastily written Mother's Day-related schmoop (also my first time writing 2k12 April). Takes place sometime after the return to New York, but no other spoilers for events after that. Title comes from Tupac's "Dear Mama."_

 **-o-**

 **And I appreciate how you raised me**

"Hey, uh… April?"

April looks up from her science homework, eyebrows raised. Mikey's standing there, hands behind his back and eyes on the ground as if – as if he's _shy_ , and April's not really sure she can remember ever seeing him look so uncertain before, especially not in his own home. She pushes her textbook aside, making space at the small table. "What's up, Mikey?"

Mikey glances over his shoulder to where Raph, Casey, and Leo are watching something on TV, then over to Don's lab, where he disappeared over an hour ago to tinker with the bag April had brought over with her after school – a bunch of old and probably broken gadgets she had managed to find at a rummage sale last Saturday – and he hesitates for a moment.

April feels the beginnings of worry forming in her gut at the youngest turtle's unusual behavior, but she doesn't say anything; instead, she nudges the chair closest to her as an open invitation to sit. Mikey takes it, folding his hands in his lap, twisting his fingers together as he darts curious glances at her before looking away again, and April frowns. "Mikey, what–"

"How, uh… you don't have to answer this, it might be – you can tell me to buzz off if you want, but I was wondering…" Mikey trails off for a moment, chewing on his lip. "What do you do for Mother's Day?"

April blinks a couple times. "I…" She's at a loss for words – her mom has always been a touchy subject, it's true, but the events up at North Hampton make the hurt feel extra fresh now.

But Mikey's staring at her with wide eyes, curious and apologetic at once – a little brother look if she ever saw one – and it's a look she can't deny. "Well, sometimes I wouldn't do anything because I didn't… it hurts, you know, and my dad would have a hard time with it. But the last few years, I've given a card and some flowers to my aunt."

Mikey tilts his head. "Why?"

April swallows and smiles a little. "Because she's like my mom. And I love her, and I want to show her I care, and that's one of the ways you can do it. And she's always liked daisies, she told me so, so I know she likes the flowers."

"So… so you can give gifts to people who aren't your mom?"

April nods. "Why do you want to know, Mikey?"

Mikey shrugs. "Well, I mean, ever since we found out what it was, we celebrate Father's Day, right? Because we have one, and like you said, we like to show him that we love him, and that's what you do, but I just… want to celebrate Mother's Day sometimes, too. But we don't have a mom – not, well, not a _real_ one, anyway – so I didn't know if I could," he says, glancing over his shoulder at the couch again.

April follows his gaze, and she smiles when she sees who Mikey's looking at. "Mikey… do you want to make a Mother's Day card for Leo?"

Mikey's eyes shoot back to her face, and he looks uncertain. "Yeah… I mean, he's always looking after us right? And he's good at chasing away nightmares, and he loves us and protects us – like moms do. But he doesn't like it when Raph or Don call him that, though, so I don't know if he'll like it."

Yeah, April's seen that before – but then, Raph and Don are always teasing Leo when they say it, or are trying to get him to back off from whatever it is he's lecturing them about. "It'll be different coming from you," she tells him.

Mikey looks a little dubious, but his eyes are hopeful. "Do you think so?"

"I know so," April says firmly – and she does, because she's seen how much Leo and the others dote on the youngest; she knows just how much _she_ dotes on him. And even though she hasn't spent her whole life protecting Mikey and raising him like Leo has, if _she_ ever got a Mother's Day card from Mikey, she knows it would be one of her most prized possessions. It'll be the same for Leo.

"Tell you what," she adds as an idea pops into her head. "I still need to make a card for my aunt for tomorrow – you've got some markers and paper in your room, right? We can make cards together. And then I can distract Leo so you can sneak it into his room – that way Don and Raph won't tease him about it. If you want."

Mikey's eyes light up as he nods, and the grin that splits his face is practically blinding; April can't help but smile back as she thinks, _No wonder they can never really say no to this kid_.

-o-

They finish the cards, and Mikey manages to hide it in Leo's room without anyone else being the wiser. Curious about the outcome of what could happen, April manages to come up with an excuse to have a _Space Heroes_ marathon-sleepover that night (not that it was hard to convince the others – one thing they've all been missing about North Hampton is the opportunity to just hang out and eat junk food and be together).

They pull all the blankets and pillows they can find in the lair into a giant nest in the living room to prepare for the evening, and when it takes Leo a while longer to come out of his room, April figures he must have found the card. She smiles reassuringly at Mikey, who's looking a little nervous, as Raph shouts, "Hurry it up, Fearless – we're waiting on you!"

"Coming, coming, keep your shell on," Leo says, emerging from his room with an armful of blankets. April grins knowingly - Leo's eyes are bright and he's got a small smile on his face as he says, "You could've at least helped Don make some popcorn if you're so impatient."

Raph rolls his eyes. "Last time I did that, I thought I was going to get murdered in my sleep for intruding on holy ground."

"If you can't respect the golden ratio of butter and salt, you have no place in my kitchen!" Don calls primly from where he and Casey are making snacks.

Raph snorts, dumping his load of blankets into the pile and heading into the kitchen. "It's not rocket science, egghead," he says as he walks away. "Just melt some butter and throw on some salt and go."

"Don't insult the guy who makes the best popcorn, dude!" Casey replies. "That's just _asking_ for trouble!"

April laughs at their bickering and snuggles down deeper into the pile of blankets next to Mikey. Leo plops down on Mikey's other side and slings an arm around the younger turtle's shoulders, pulling him in for a hug. "Thanks for the card, little brother," he says softly, voice full of emotion as he rubs a hand over Mikey's head and gives April a knowing look.

Mikey beams, shooting April a quick look of gratitude before closing his eyes and hugging Leo back. "Anytime, bro."

 _End._


End file.
